Tech workers in San Francisco are turning to meditative ‘sound baths’ to unplug — here’s what it’s like

I tried a “sound bath” meditation to see why it’s all the rage in San Francisco.

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Melia Robinson/Business Insider

In San Francisco, seas of people staring down at their phones are as much a fixture of the city as trolley cars and fog. But a few nights out of the year, 1,300 people put away their digital devices and sprawl across the floor of Grace Cathedral church for a meditative “sound bath.”

The crowd lies on yoga mats and blankets, as a small orchestra of instruments – gongs, crystal bowls, a harp, and a didgeridoo – provides a 90-minute soundtrack for meditation. The idea is that the sounds give participants something to focus on, allowing any racing thoughts to peter out. Sound Meditation SF has organized six events in the city since 2016, and each sold out.

I recently attended a Sound Healing Symphony, organized by Sound Meditation SF, to see what the buzz is about. Here’s what it was like.

I don’t practice meditation regularly. I don’t even have Headspace on my phone.

But I arrived at Grace Cathedral on a Friday night with an open mind. Simona Asinovski, a former tech worker and cofounder of Sound Meditation SF, told me not to be intimidated.

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Melia Robinson/Business Insider

Asinovski said she practiced yoga for at least six years before she was able to meditate for even 10 minutes. “Meditation is very challenging,” Asinovski said. “It’s just fundamentally hard to be still and be present with what is – which is usually a lot of stuff.”

But a sound meditation helps beginners tap into a meditative state by allowing them to focus on the music instead of the “little stories that we tell ourselves,” Asinovski said.

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Melia Robinson/Business Insider

Hundreds were already lined up outside the church when I got there.

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Melia Robinson/Business Insider

They came towing blankets, yoga mats, body pillows, and the rare air mattress. I felt a little nervous and almost giddy, like I was joining the most exclusive slumber party in the city.

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Melia Robinson/Business Insider

Tickets for the Sound Healing Symphony cost $25, while “benefactor” tickets go for $150. The latter grants you a VIP spot at the front of the church, where you can be close to the orchestra.

When the doors opened, I saw that the church had been transformed into a meditative oasis. Sounds from a single harp spilled out from the altar, setting an ethereal mood.

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Melia Robinson/Business Insider

People scrambled to claim their spots.

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Melia Robinson/Business Insider

Asinovski, who comes from a tech marketing background, said she doesn’t think the event appeals to tech workers any more than it attracts people from other industries.